SE03 : EP26 - The Afterparty

The party enters the Oculus chamber just as the portal falters and flicks out. Kelliasin stands in a ring of downed minions. The groan of strained glass is crescendos in the shattering of the portal. It's magical energy bursts and dissipates. Ankle deep water has settled in the chamber, overrun from the other side.   Gathering themselves and head off to see @witchem to revive Ryder. Mirai Murasaki and Eñahkais taker Ryder's body to the church. The rest scourer the city to find a diamond for the ritual. Parathas Solori and Daphix end up at Beyond the Horizon, Rasni's shop. After exchanging a bit of the tale they acquire the necessary spell compent.   They all gather in the church. Witchem enters and prepares the ritual, examining the body. Once the party gathers the slow spell begins it weaves. After a tense hour, Ryder returns to life.   For the next five days, the city goes back to its quiet self, and the party recovers. Daphix cares for the plants causing blooms throughout the town. Ryder not taking the need for bed rest starts to seek out where the diamond came from. He finds Cass first. She is packed and ready to be drummed out of the Meridians, just like what happened in the guild. Ryder laughs wide-eyed. He retells hs screw up during the first Zenith. Not fully convinced Cass relaxes a bit. Ryder promises to make sure Cass has a fair shake. Ans says if Parathas makes a big stink to let him, as Ryder will remind Parathas of his many, many faults.   The next day at the prompting of Kellasin, Parathas has a conversation with Cass. Awkwardly and with as much tact as he can muster Parathas tries to examine the situation with her. He accepts Cass's explanation and explains his position, the need to work together, follow each other's orders. They leave in mutual respect. Cass unpacks her bag.   Ryder does travel to Rasni's shop to thank him. Having never met before they notice the more sympathetic way they engage each other. They are cut from more similar cloth then the other Meridians. On the way out passes a sandy-haired man entering. Looking back the store's sign has been switched to closed.   A few days later the flooding of the Occulus chamber. Yith returns tot he gate from days of playing the taverns as Airzen. Daphyx appears at the office door of Parathis, sho busts himself writing letters to the council. They begin to chat, reviewing the strange occurrences. They remark how dubious and unlikely the coincidences seem to be. Thye sit in silence for a time reflecting on the serious danger of internal collaborations. And leave remarking on the serious underestimation they have had of Stargazer.   The gate reopens and the celebrants return from the wedding. Caravans loaded down with all manner of goods. The dignitaries arrive, Councilman Stratos and the Prime Meridians are intercepted and informed of the calamity that occurred while they were gone. The dower nature of the party is picked up by the other Meridians. It leads to a council meeting days later.   Parathasis is brought forth to give witness to the events. The council grills the Meridians. Korin Blano head of city services arrives and he speaks to their merits. The conversation bounces around the incursion in the Iris chamber, the nature of custody revolving around the other Stargazer, and destruction of the other Horizon. The heated conversations boil before Stratos brings to order. Morina Sluess calls to a vote to task the Meridians with hunting done and disarming the the threat of the Crimson Exiles. The edict passes and the council adjourns. Korin makes a point to introduce himself and wants to be friends.   Back at Meridian's Gate they discuss the need to take up The Loremaster's task to recover the crystal crafting device. Seeing the need both strategically and politically they plan to use some of their heavy hitters. Daphyix, Parathas, Orwyn, Ryder, Kellisan, and Hone are assigned to use the specially gifted crystal to go where the artifact is to be found.   The next morning they gather at the Occulus ready to go but hoping to investigate where the Loremaster's crystal goes. Aoh-Gynn trades rings with Hone and then inserts the crystal into the pedestal. A shimmering silver portal spreads across the Occulus. The ripples in the mirror like surface are minor almost placid. There is no discomfort passing through it.   A dry heat permeates a desert broken by a sloping plateau stretching before them. Orwyn scrye's the landscape and takes in the dips and groves across the plateau's surface. Beyond there is only sand stretching beyond sight. Concluding that only have the plateau to explore. They start to climb the slope. Kellison and Hone climb easily, Ryder feel the sand give under his weight. Everyone tries to move even more carefully, watching for pitfalls. Parathas examine were Ryder had been slipping, seeming to find a cavity. As some join him digging out the ground. Daphyx casts "Comune with Nature" to survey the terrain. This is a godforsaken place, no signs of life appear.   They open the cavity into a pair of pillars supporting a doorway. Beyond is a brick lain pathway leading deep into the earth.